Pentax 17--DOA

[cgw]

Looks like Ricoh is retreating from further film camera development. Friends behind camera store counters in Toronto and Montreal
considered it a dud--an over-priced, half-frame, quirky oddity that just didn't sell. At almost C$700, film rookies can buy several vintage SLRs and 50mm lenses.

It Might Be A While Before Pentax Makes Another Film Camera

The Pentax 17 sold extremely well and remains popular, but Ricoh is not in a hurry to make another new film camera just yet.

petapixel.com

 

[21limited]

"Friends behind camera store counters in Toronto and Montreal
considered it a dud—"

"Modern photographers might be surprised to hear that a new film camera sold well enough to warrant the years of development time. Saiki confirms that Ricoh considers Pentax 17 as a success in the branding and positioning of Pentax."

It’s your friends behind the counters in the camera stores that buried Pentax in the first place. CamaeraCanada in London does a grest job with Pentax.

Welcome to Camera Canada - Canada's dot.com for Cameras

www.cameracanada.com

They have Pentax cameras and bodies in stock so you can try them out. Every other camera store ditched Pentax. SO from Pentax’s persective, your friends are the problem. So nothing new here. Camera Store trashing Pentax, to sell more expensive higher commission proucts.

I remeber a number of times Canon and Nikon shooters turning their heads to see what I was shooting with my 8 fps K-3 in full burst mode. The sound of the shutter was what told them the things were not as the camera store salesman said they were. Lets be clear on why that is. Pentax doesn’t pay for shelf space, and they insist stock is paid for when delivered, no 30 day delay as other companies do. It’s about the money. Not about the proudct. Camera stores who don’t carry Pentax bad moutning them. Ford dealers bad mouthing GM and Chrsyler product, PC store bad mouthing Apple product, don’t put much stock in it.

Apple dealt with the bad mouthing of their product by the PC weenies behind the counters at big box stores, by opening their own stores. Once Apple proved their product had a market, all the sudden the big stores bought back in.There is precedence for good product being held back by continuous bad mouthing by sales staff at the larger stores. All I can say is, Camera Canada has made a go of Pentax product. I ocnsider any store who doesn’t to be incompetent. But hey, that’s just my take.

Pentax has probably suffered more from Camera Store employee bias than any other brand. I see the tradition is continuing.

 

[cgw]

Just more splenetic OT trolling. Post is about a film camera. The designer of the 17 quit Ricoh.

 

[21limited]

This guy is probably the only guy I trust to cover Pentax.

He put to rest the myth of Pentax being lacking in AF capability in real world tests, that he posted as video. Not that anyone noticed.

OK, I’m done, someoone so dense as to not know the difference between OT trolling and discussion of an issue doesn’t deserve my time. But be honest, do your friends behind the counters in Toronto an Montral even have a 17 to sell, or are they just bad mouthing the competition like every other brand controlled saleman in every business.

 

[webestang64]

Our store has sold 2 so far. We sell way more of the $65 Kodak half frame. And since I see prints/scans from both they are equal quality.

Only got one thing to say to Pentax...........want to make a film camera that would sell like crazy........bring back the K1000.

 

[cgw]

Our store has sold 2 so far. We sell way more of the $65 Kodak half frame. And since I see prints/scans from both they are equal quality.

Only got one thing to say to Pentax...........want to make a film camera that would sell like crazy........bring back the K1000.

Yup. Any clone of a basic major maker metal-bodied SLR would fly. Slightly puzzled why Ricoh GR-1 DNA wasn't the basis of the Pentax 17. Shoot, Ricoh still uses it for the digital GR III.

 

[smoke665]

Pentax...........want to make a film camera that would sell like crazy........bring back the K1000.

I have a K1000....somewhere, but despite turning everything upside down can't find it. Also have a ZM which I still use occasionally. It does the job, but it's not the tank build the K1000 was. Also have a Canon EF w/50mm F/1.4. Great camera but it eats batteries like candy

 

[cgw]

Tiresome, admittedly, but Fuji got the form factor down cold with the original X-T1--a camera reportedly designed by a crew who hated digital cameras and loved old film SLRs. That was over a decade ago. I still shoot my old Nikon FEs, a couple F3s and N90s and 801s bodies--old love dies slowly, I guess.

 

[21limited]

Our store has sold 2 so far. We sell way more of the $65 Kodak half frame. And since I see prints/scans from both they are equal quality.

Only got one thing to say to Pentax...........want to make a film camera that would sell like crazy........bring back the K1000.

Tell me you aren’t talking about one of those stores where they don’t have one in the store, but they’ll order one for you.

 

[webestang64]

Tell me you aren’t talking about one of those stores where they don’t have one in the store, but they’ll order one for you.

We are not. We are a real camera store/lab that has been in business since 1892. BTW we have 6 left in stock.......... Shop Online | Schiller's

 

[smoke665]

@webestang64 curious what, if any, comments you've heard from customers as to why they aren't interested. Is it price, B&W, or something else?

 

[webestang64]

@webestang64 curious what, if any, comments you've heard from customers as to why they aren't interested. Is it price, B&W, or something else?

I asked the store manager (who does try and sell it as we do not bash any camera we sell) about it and he said most people that do not buy think it's over priced and it's to plasticky. They just buy the $65 Kodak instead. A buddy of mine wanted one and he said the same thing so he got the Kodak.

 

[smoke665]

over priced and it's to plasticky.

Interesting, that's kind of what I've always thought about the ZX-M. It does the job but it definitely doesn't feel like Pentax.

 

[21limited]

I asked the store manager (who does try and sell it as we do not bash any camera we sell) about it and he said most people that do not buy think it's over priced and it's to plasticky. They just buy the $65 Kodak instead. A buddy of mine wanted one and he said the same thing so he got the Kodak.

Over priced is always in the mind of the mind beholder. But I understand 65$ is pocket chnage these days. I can find the Kodak camera for $26 U.S. It sounds like piece of junk. Is it plastic lenses like the cheap Kodak cameras of years gone by?

 

[webestang64]

plastic lenses like the cheap Kodak cameras of years gone by

Yep.....hence the $65 cost. But the masses do not care about that just like back when VHS took over Beta (and laser disc as well). Beta better quality but peeps more or less do not care, they just want a lower price.
IMO that Pentax should be no more than $200. Interested to see if there is going to be any resale value.